How to add timestamp

rac123 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006, 11:49 PM

I've converted a mini-DV video to .avi using firewire on my computer. Before I burn to dvd, I want the video to display the original Timestamp (date & time) on the bottom right corner. What's the easiest way to do this? I own Pinnacle, Ulead, etc. software but I don't see that option in any of them.

After googling, I found there's something called Visual DV Timestamp but it's not free. Have anybody used it? Is it worth buying?

Any other ideas are appreciated.

Rach

bgarthp · #2 (**permalink**) 05-14-2006, 12:30 AM

videohelp.com has a tutorial that shows you one way of doing it with free software here:

http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/t209980.html

It's a bit technical, but it is free, the way it does it actually involves creating a subtitle file with the date and time stamp in it (which is then added to the .avi file with virtualdub mod),

so as you're planning on producing a DVD of the footage you could just skip the last step in the tutorial and add the subtitle in your DVD Authoring app' and you'd be able to switch the time stamp on or off while you watch.

rac123 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-14-2006, 03:09 AM

The problem with that guide is, it's looking for some file called datetime.ssa and the download link is broken. I can't use the guide.

Does anybody have that file?

bgarthp · #4 (**permalink**) 05-14-2006, 10:46 AM

woops, I should have checked that out, I did more digging and came up with DV Sub Maker:

http://www.video2dv.com/index.php?lang=en&page=dvsm

it's free, and I just tested it and it works well. But I did need to import and export from subtitle workshop (also free) to get the subs into Encore.

you could follow the last step of the tutorial above to get them permanently onto the footage.